Island



N'IED STATES ATENI OFFICE.

ABRAM H. CLEAR, OF PRO"IDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

PIPE CONNECTION FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,094, dated August 16, 1859.

T0 (121 whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, ABRAM H. CLEAR, of the city of Providence, in thecounty of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in the Outer Connections of the Submerged Pipes ofSteam and other Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1, is a transverse vertical section of part of the side and deckof a vessel and of my improved pipe connection. Fig. 2, is an insideview of the side of the vessel with a section of the pipe connection atright angles to Fig. 1

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

The liability t0 bursting or breakage of the injection pipe or pipes orother submerged pipes is an ever present sourceof danger on board ofsteam vessels, and in other vessels there are frequently submerged pipesliable to similar accident in a lesser degree.

The object of this invention is to obviate such danger by providingconvenient means of closing such pipes close to the exterior of thevessel; and to this end the nature of my invention consists in makingthe connection of the pipe with the side or exterior of the vessel bymeans of a valve box arranged within the planking of the vessel andcontaining a valve operated by means of a screw or its equivalent fromthe deck of the vessel by which the external orifice may be closedinstantaneously in case of a break or leak occurring in the pipe therebyefiectually shutting out the water.

T0 enable others to apply my invention I will proceed to d scribe itsconstruction and operation.

A, is the outer planking; B, B, are the timbers; and 0, is the deck.

D, is a sluice valve fitted to slide up and down in a box E, of a Wellknown kind which is bolted to the interior of the planking A, and whichhas two short fianched pieces of pipe F, and G, cast with or other wisesecured to it on its inner and outer sides, the latter projectingthrough the outer planking and coming flush with the exterior thereof,and the former projecting far enough into the vessel to provide for theconvenient connection of the injection pipe or any other of the pipeswhose external orifice is required to be below the surface of the water.

H, is the stem of the valve attached to the valve so as to be incapableof turning, and working through a stufling box a, in the top of thevalve box. This reaches up to near the deck and has a screw thread 6, onthe exterior of its upper part.

I, is a tube fitted to a box J, in or above the deck of the vessel insuch a manner as to be confined longitudinally, but as to be permittedto turn freely. This tube has a female screw thread in its interiorfitting to the screw thread 7), of the valve stem, and it has firmlyattached to its upper part a baud wheel K, conveniently situated abovethe deck, so as to be operated by a person on deck. By turning thiswheel, the tube I, is made to revolve upon the screw thread I), and bythat means to move the valve stem up or clown according to the directionin which it is turned.

L, is a cap screwing on to the top of the box J, and only removed whenthe valve is to be operated.

Under ordinary circumstances the valve D. remains open to permit thefree ingress of water; but in case of the breaking, bursting or serionsleakage of the pipe, the cap L, is removed and. the valve D, closed byturning the wheel K, in the proper direction, for the purpose ofshutting out the water till the damage to the pipe can be repaired.

I do not claim the form of the valve as herein represented or anyparticular form of valve but Vhat I claim as my invention and desire tosecure b v Letters Patent, is

Making the connection between the injection pipe or other similarlysubmerged pipe of a steam vessel or any other vessel, with the side orexterior of the vessel, by means of a valve box situated within orbetween the inside and outside planking of the hull, fitted with a valvecapable of being operated by a screw or its equivalent by a person on orabove the deck of the vessel, substantially as herein described.

ABRAM H. CLEAR.

Vitnesses R. L. ROSE, LYCURGUS SAYLES.

